College football proved to be Gordon Gee's undoing

Words about football pushed him out

12:03 AM,
Jun. 5, 2013

Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee gestures as he speaks during the university's May 5 spring commencement in Columbus. Gee is retiring as of July 1 after the revelation of recorded remarks in which he criticized Notre Dame, Roman Catholics and the Southeastern Conference, the university announced Tuesday.

Written by

George Schroeder
USA Today

In the end, the football coach did not fire Gordon Gee, which might be a victory of sorts.

But Ohio State's president - who said Tuesday he would retire effective July 1 - was undone by his own remarks, including that especially infamous line. When asked in March 2011 whether the school had considered firing embattled coach Jim Tressel, a grinning Gee said: "No. Are you kidding? Let me just be very clear. I'm just hopeful the coach doesn't dismiss me."

Tressel resigned two months later. Gee lasted two more years. But his exit was hastened by remarks made in December at a meeting of the school's ...